New Delhi should change Lanka policy: Nedumaran

He said the UPA Govt was following the principles of late PM Rajiv Gandhi, which would not do any good to India or Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Tamizhar Desiya Iyyakkam (TDI) leader Pazha Nedumaran on Tuesday demanded that the Centre should change its approach and policy towards Sri Lanka and the Tamils of the island nation.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the Manmohan Singh government, which was following the principles of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and already proved a failure, would not do any good to India or the Sri Lankan Tamils.

Stating that Sri Lanka could never be loyal to India, Nedumaran pointed out that the cancellation of oil tanker lease given to India and taking over it by the Sri Lankan government last week was an act against the Indian government.

He said the Union Government, which supported the initiatives taken by Norway to bring peace in the island nation should stop supply of arms to Sri Lanka.

Since Sri Lanka was not surrounded by an enemy country, it was very clear that the arms would be used for killing innocent Tamils in the island nation, he said, adding that India should understand this and stop supply of arms to Sri Lanka.

While the Union Government allowed elected Sinhalese representatives to come to India and explained the situation to the ministers, similar gestures should also be shown to the Tamil representatives also.

Then only India would be able to know the real picture prevailing in Sri Lanka, he added.

He said the relief being provided by the Centre to the refugees from Sri Lanka was insufficient.